River Dance Festival returns to New Hope

Cross-river, cross-cultural

Equally important, the River Dance Festival emphasizes BIPOC artists in order to contribute to progressive social change, including equity in the arts. Participating artists receive space for rehearsals and performances, a high-quality video of the show, and feedback from the audience. The festival offers dancers “a place to come, make work ... and explore their own artistic voices,” Mark noted. The festival’s name was inspired by Roxey Ballet’s presence on both sides of the Delaware: the offices are in Frenchtown, New Jersey, while the company rehearses in New Hope, Pennsylvania. “We’re a cross-river company,” as Mark put it.

​This year’s lineup features Kalamazoo Contemporary Ballet, moe-tion dance theater, Art of Motion Dance Theater, the Arts Access Program at Matheny, Berks Ballet Theater Conservatory of Dance, Commuovere Dance, the House Dance Project, and Capricious Dance Company of Narnia. Viewers will see work from both new and mid-career choreographers, as well as a solo performed by a dancer from New York’s Complexions Contemporary Ballet. “It speaks to the need, the important need for us as dance companies, as a dance community, to be reaching out to others and lending a hand,” Mark said. The festival is “great for the dancers and artists, as well as the community” in greater New Hope.

Dancer and choreographer Giovanni Ravelo will present two works. One is a duet he described as “really dear to me.” The other piece is a new work created for the students of Mill Ballet and set to music by Cuban singer La Lupe. “It’s a fun piece” that incorporates Latin dance, Ravelo said. The program also includes a contemporary ballet piece by Seyong Kim, associate professor of dance at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Kim, who danced with Roxey Ballet from 2010 to 2015, noted his appreciation for New Hope’s natural beauty and supportive community. His dance is set to the Bach aria “Erbarme Dich, mein Gott,” which draws inspiration from the Gospel of Matthew. Kim noted that the dance can be interpreted through diverse and transcultural perspectives that transcend religion.

“This opportunity is really great for me,” said Kim, and he finds it “meaningful and important” that the festival provides opportunities to artists of all backgrounds. “I’m looking forward to meeting Mark Roxey and friends” at the River Dance Festival, he added, “and I’m excited to share this piece with the audience.” Meanwhile, Mark pointed out that the lineup includes something for everyone. The festival offers three days of dancing with three different programs and talkbacks after each performance. “It’s really, really important for the choreographers to have that feedback,” Mark said. Additionally, the festival’s virtual option “gives people an opportunity to jump on and watch the performance as if they were there” in person, regardless of which side of the river, country, or planet they inhabit.